Sports are about evolution. The most successful teams in every sport are generally the ones who remain ahead of the curve. The champions are usually on the cutting edge, the contenders keep up, and the bad teams fall behind, often languishing near the bottom of the standings for years, or even decades.
By most measures, 2018 was the worst calendar year for the Rangers since the 2004-05 season was wiped out by a lockout. Exactly 51 weeks ago, the Rangers lost in embarrassing fashion at home to the rival Islanders 7-2. Even more than the White Flag Letter that followed about a month later, I recall hoping that this game would be a turning point.